3 John & Jude

There are some who hold the priesthood with aspirations for leadership, personal honor, and gain, of which John wrote -

"...who loveth to have the preeminence among them..." (New Testament 3 John 1:9)

Preiminence being -

- the quality or state of being outstanding, important, supreme.

John suggests that we should not affiliate or agree with or in other words -

"...receiveth us not..." (New Testament 3 John 1:9)

Aspiration, if any, should be to serve God. Jude seemed concerned of the same thing as he warned -

"For there are certain men crept in unawares..." (New Testament Jude 1:4)

Even though he talks of those that teach false doctrine he also talks of those that run -

"...greedily after the error of Balaam for reward, and perished in the gainsaying of Core." (New Testament Jude 1:11)

Both Balaam and Core (Korah) used their position, Balaam with his gift of prophecy and Core in his desire to hold the priesthood , all was pursued for personal gain. We see this as their -

"...mouth speaketh great swelling words, having men's persons in admiration because of advantage." (New Testament Jude 1:16)

The Prophet Joseph Smith commented in his day -

"It would be gratifying to my mind to see the Saints in Kirtland flourish, but think the time is not yet come; and I assure you it never will until a different order of things be established and a different spirit manifested. . . .

It is in consequence of aspiring men that Kirtland has been forsaken. How frequently has your humble servant been envied in his office by such characters, who endeavored to raise themselves to power at his expense, and seeing it impossible to do so, resorted to foul slander and abuse, and other means to effect his overthrow. Such characters have ever been the first to cry out against the Presidency, and publish their faults and foibles to the four winds of heaven.” (Smith, HC, 4:166.)

When we exercise our priesthood for personal gain and honor, it changes from to the priesthood of Satan or priestcraft. Of such, Nephi said -

"...that there shall be no priestcrafts; for, behold, priestcrafts are that men preach and set themselves up for a light unto the world, that they may get gain and praise of the world; but they seek not the welfare of Zion." (Book of Mormon 2 Nephi 26:29)

We must remember that -

"...when we undertake to cover our sins, or to gratify our pride, our vain ambition, or to exercise control or dominion or compulsion upon the souls of the children of men, in any degree of unrighteousness, behold, the heavens withdraw themselves; the Spirit of the Lord is grieved; and when it is withdrawn, Amen to the priesthood or the authority of that man." (Doctrine and Covenants Section 121:37)